Agenda and minutes

Councillors Morgan and Poland declared personal interests in Item 10 – Charnwood Grants, as members of the Outwoods Management Committee.

No announcements were made.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13th February 2020 were confirmed as a correct record and signed.

The deadline for questions is noon on Wednesday, 4th March 2020. 

No questions had been submitted.

A report of the Strategic Director of Corporate Services to consider the Council’s approach to commercialisation and proposed commercial activities.

Considered, a report of the Strategic Director of Corporate Services to consider the Council’s approach to commercialisation and proposed commercial activities (item 6 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Councillor Rattray, Chair of the Scrutiny Commission, presented a report detailing the Commission’s pre-decision scrutiny of the matter and recommendation (copy filed with these minutes).

The Strategic Director of Corporate Services assisted with consideration of the report.  A number of typographical errors in the report were identified and it was confirmed that those would be corrected.

RESOLVED

1.         that the plan to recruit an additional member of staff at Director level (to be known as the Strategic Director of Commercial Development) to support the Council’s commercialisation agenda and, in particular, the process of identifying, evaluating and acquiring commercial investment property be noted;

2.      that funding of up to £100,000 from the Reinvestment Reserve to fund the salary of the additional Director be approved;

3.      that the proposed checklist and process steps for the evaluation and acquisition of commercial investment properties, as set out at Appendices A and B to the report of the Strategic Director of Corporate Services, be approved;

4.      that delegated authority be given to the Strategic Director of Corporate Services and the Strategic Director of Commercial Development, in conjunction with the Leader, to make minor amendments to the above process as deemed required and appropriate;

5.      that other actions the Council intends to take to support its commercialisation agenda, as outlined in Part B of the report of the Strategic Director of Corporate Services, be noted;

6.      that the report of the Scrutiny Commission be noted.

Reasons

1.      To ensure that Cabinet are aware of changes to the Council’s establishment and the additional resources being directed at the commercialisation agenda.

2.      To fund the costs arising from the recruitment of the additional Director for a restricted time period until costs incurred are offset by additional revenues generated from new commercial activity.

3.      To provide assurance to Cabinet on the level of due diligence and decision-making control that will be introduced in the evaluation and acquisition of commercial investment properties.

4.      To allow minor process refinements to be implemented efficiently in the light of experience.

5.      To make Cabinet aware of the actions the Council intends to take to support its commercialisation agenda.

6.      To acknowledge the work undertaken by and the views of the Scrutiny Commission.

A report of the Chief Executive to consider the Council’s Corporate Delivery Plan 2020/21.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Chief Executive to consider the Council’s Corporate Delivery Plan 2020/21 (item 7 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Councillor Rattray, Chair of the Scrutiny Commission, presented a report detailing the Commission’s pre-decision scrutiny of the matter and recommendation (copy filed with these minutes).

Councillor Rattray considered that the report did not state correctly the recommendations made by the Commission and therefore set out amendments to recommendations 2 and 9 on agenda supplement page 8.  She also wished the Cabinet to consider an additional recommendation relating to recycling targets.

The Chief Executive and the Corporate Improvement and Policy Officer assisted with consideration of the report.

For the purpose of clarity, the Chief Executive outlined each of the recommendations made by the Commission, incorporating the amendments set out by Councillor Rattray.

Amended recommendation 2 would be an addition to the wording on agenda page 61, paragraph entitled Financial Stability, fifth bullet point, such that it read “reduce our reliance on reserves to fund services and replenish financial reserves in the medium to long-term”. (Additional wording shown in italics).

Amended recommendation 9 would change the action set out on agenda page 50 from “Improve the public realm in our towns” to “Improve the public realm in our Borough” (to support the Commission’s view that both villages and towns should be included).

The Cabinet confirmed that it agreed with the recommendations outlined and that the amendments to the Delivery Plan required as a result could be made under the delegated authority set out under Resolution 2. below.

In respect of the additional recommendation relating to recycling targets (agenda page 57, Key Indicators 4a and 4b), the Leader and the Chief Executive agreed to discuss with the service concerned the possibility of a floor target more ambitious than 44%.

RESOLVED

1.      that the 2020/21 Corporate Delivery Plan, appended to the report of the Chief Executive, be approved, noting the amendments that will be made as a result of the recommendations of the Scrutiny Commission;

2.      that delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to make minor amendments to the Corporate Delivery Plan;

3.      that the report of the Scrutiny Commission be noted.

Reasons

1.      To identify the Council’s key activities and performance indicators for 2020/21 that support the objectives set out in the Corporate Strategy (2020-2024).

2.      To allow minor corrections and amendments to be made in a timely manner prior to publication and throughout the 2020-21 Corporate Delivery Plan.

3.      To acknowledge the work undertaken by and the views of the Scrutiny Commission.

A report of the Head of Landlord Services to consider the Council’s Housing Capital Programme for 2020/21.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Head of Landlord Services to consider the Council’s Housing Capital Programme 2020/21 (item 8 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Councillor Rattray, Chair of the Scrutiny Commission, presented a report detailing the Commission’s pre-decision scrutiny of the matter and recommendation (copy filed with these minutes).

The Head of Landlord Services assisted with consideration of the report.  Reference was made to the lower cost per fire safety door being paid by a number of other councils and it was confirmed that would be looked into.

The Scrutiny Commission was thanked for its useful pre-decision scrutiny work, both in respect of this item and items considered earlier in the meeting.

RESOLVED

1.         that the proposed housing capital programme for 2020/21 amounting to £7,339,100, detailed in Appendix 1 to the report of the Head of Landlord Services, be approved and the Capital Plan be amended to reflect this;

2.         that the report of the Scrutiny Commission be noted.

Reasons

1.         To improve the Council’s housing stock, in line with the Charnwood Standard, thus delivering the priorities set out in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan approved by Cabinet in September 2014.

2.      To acknowledge the work undertaken by and the views of the Scrutiny Commission.

A report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration to consider a revisedLocalDevelopmentSchemeso thattheprogrammeforthe preparation ofplanningdocumentsfor Charnwoodis agreed.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration to consider a revised Local Development scheme (item 9 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Head of Planning and Regeneration assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.      that the revised programme for the preparation of local development documents, as set out in the Local Development Scheme attached to the report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration, be approved;

2.      that the Local Development Scheme comes into effect and is published on 1st April 2020;

3.      that authority is delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Lead Member for Planning, Inward Investment and Tourism Strategy to make any minor typographical/graphical amendments to the Local Development Scheme prior to its publication.

Reasons

1.      To ensure that the Local Development Scheme provides a realistic programme for the preparation of development plan documents.

2.      To meet the requirements of Section 15 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004), as amended by the Localism Act 2011 and the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 (as amended by the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) (amendment) Regulations 2008, 2009 and 2012.

3.      To enable the timely publication of the revised Local Development Scheme.

A report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services to consider applications received for funding in Round 4 of the Community Facilities and Community Development and Engagement Grants schemes for 2019/20.

Key Decision 

Considered, a report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services to consider applications received for funding in Round 4 of the Community Facilities and Community Development and Engagement Grants schemes for 2019/20 (item 10 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Head of Neighbourhood Services assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.      that the following Community Development and Engagement Grants be awarded:

•        £2,000 to Without Walls Christian Fellowship towards a Singing Café;

•        £4,500 to Artspace Loughborough Ltd towards the “Into the Outwoods Sculpture Trail” (£2,500 to be awarded through the Community Development and Engagement Environmental Grant scheme, and £2,000 through the Loughborough Community Grant scheme), subject to them securing the remainder of the external funding applied for;

•        £2,500 to The African Caribbean Club towards general running costs;

•        £3,500 to Exaireo Trust towards an “Exaireo Re-use – office chair project” (to be awarded through the Community Development and Engagement  Environmental Grant scheme);

•        £4,750 to Grange Park Centre towards The Arc Community Hub Youth Club (£4,000 to be awarded through the Community Development and Engagement Grant scheme, and £750 through the Loughborough Community Grants scheme);

2.      that the following Community Development and Engagement Grant applications be deferred:

•        Falcon Support Services - £10,000 requested – applied for funding towards a “Recycle it at the Falcon Centre” project;

•        The Crop Club CIC - £9,765 requested – applied for funding towards an “Urban Edible Landscape” project;

3.      that the following Community Development and Engagement Grant applications be declined:

•        Dementia UK - £10,000 requested – applied for funding towards running costs for the Watermead and Beacon Admiral Nurse Service;

•        The Carers Centre - £8,750 requested – applied for funding towards “Empowering You” sessions for carers;

•        Malika Glover (Individual Grant) - £50 requested – applied for funding towards the cost of an expedition to Tanzania with students from Charnwood College;

4.      that the following Community Facilities Grant application be declined:

•        Syston and District Volunteer Centre - £16,000 requested – applied for funding towards the reconfiguration and renovation of their existing offices;

5.      that the Head of Neighbourhood Services be given delegated authority to finalise the terms and conditions of the awarded Community Development and Engagement Grants.

Reasons

1.      To provide financial support to organisations which meet the criteria of the Community Development and Engagement Grants and Environmental schemes in terms of community and organisational need and to use funding provided through the Loughborough Grants scheme to support projects in Loughborough.

2.      To enable further work to be undertaken with the applicant to see whether the application can be improved and strengthened.

3.      To decline to provide financial support to organisations which do not meet the criteria for the award of a grant under the Community Development and Engagement Grant scheme.

4.      To decline to provide financial support to organisations which do not meet the criteria for the award of a grant under the Community Facilities Grant scheme.

5.      To enable the grants awarded to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 93.

A report of the Head of Finance and Property Services to consider the Council’s Annual Procurement Plan 2020/21.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Head of Finance and Property Services to consider the Council’s Annual Procurement Plan 2020/21 (item 11 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Strategic Director of Corporate Services assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.      that the contracts, over £25,000 and up to £75,000, listed in Appendix A to the report of the Head of Finance and Property Services, be let in accordance with Contract Procedure Rules;

2.      that the contracts, over £75,001 and up to £500,000, listed in Appendix B to the report of the Head of Finance and Property Services, be let in accordance with Contract Procedure Rules.

Reason 

1& 2.     To allow contracts of the Council to be let in accordance with contract procedure rules.

A report of the Head of Finance and Property Services to consider tendering for renewal of the Southfields security contract.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Head of Finance and Property Services to consider tendering for the renewal of the Southfields Security Contract (item 12 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Strategic Director of Corporate Servicesassisted with consideration of the report.  The Cabinet commented that the current security staff undertook their role in a professional and friendly way, in sometimes difficult circumstances, and asked the Chief Executive to pass that comment on to the staff concerned.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves the request for Council Officers to tender for the renewal of the Security Contract on behalf of the Council and the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) and that delegated authority be given to the Head of Finance and Property Services to award the contract to the successful bidder.

Reason

To provide a high level of personal and building security in Southfields Main Reception areas where we provide front line reception services for the Council, DWP and the Police, and the provision of evening security, key holding and callout services to Southfields Offices, Woodgate Chambers and the Ark and Oak Business Centres.

A report of the Monitoring Officer to consider amendments to the Council’s Constitution following annual review, for recommendation to Council.

Considered, a report of the Monitoring Officer to consider amendments to the Council’s Constitution following annual review, for recommendation to Council (item 13 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Democratic Services Manager assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED that it be recommended to Council that the changes to the Constitution set out in appendix 1 to the report of the Monitoring Officer be made, to be effective from 1st May 2020.

Reason

To ensure the Constitution is kept up to date and fulfils its intended purposes.